


A Nightingale's Song

by bladedCrow



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Heinoustuck, Bullying, Childhood Trauma, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post Mpreg, Timeline Shenanigans, Winged Reader, venting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-03-02 15:33:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18813796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bladedCrow/pseuds/bladedCrow
Summary: Darkness than light, accepting deals with demons at night, isn't a good idea but for a prince, you can easily pay the price.





	1. Prologue: The Page's Song

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings reader here you happen to be a prince of time. that's all i'm giving you read to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poetry is only at the beginning, there are actual chapters with dialogue.

Tweet, twitter, tweet.  
Such a song is surely sweet.  
As the day turns to night.  
The nightingale sings it’s tunes.  
Marching to the rhythm.  
Come join with him.  
Look to the moons  
Sing little blue jay,  
Will you sing?  
Sing little one.  
Fly on your wing.  
Sing with her  
See your life in a blinding blur.

Tweet, twitter, tweet.  
Leap into the darkened night.  
Follow her sweet  
Tail her as a knight.  
Come on, she’s flying  
Taking care of the dying  
Come little blue jay what are you to do?  
She’s gone she already flew.  
Sing alone.  
For she took your throne.

Tweet twitter tweet.


	2. John: Reawaken.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continue dear reader, there are many things you have to learn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, my updates are slow and awkward, and a quick warning I am working on updating the tags to fit the story better, so if there is some untagged triggers comment if something major is addressed that I haven't tagged.

I laid in bed alone. 

two weeks. two weeks until the horrid day, the day that you would lose your life, the day you will lose who you are, just like how your friends lost themselves. You reminisced for a bit on your old friends, Dave who was a huge hipster but still a dork, Rose with her sarcastic humour and phsyco analyses, Jade with her optimism and constant excitement to hear from you... None of that remains anymore, Jade's irritable and on the verge of snapping angrily at you at all times, Rose gained way too much positivity and she just can't recognize a bad situation... then there's Dave, he's nothing like he was before, he doesn't even tell you those stupid raps anymore, he's just... gone, nothing but a very hazy Dave-like husk is left. breathing in a sigh you sit up, you wonder if your last friend is going to show up today. you don't know how they get to you but they do, when you ask about it all you get is "Time Shenanigans". 

"Um, Earth to the bucktoothed dork, this is your buddy speaking." You jump at the sudden intrusion, how the hell do they always appear when you think of them?! 

there they were, (H/C) going a bit pasts their shoulders, a few platinum blonde streaks were laced in, with it. Tinted aviator goggles obscured their eyes form the world, though by this point you know it's from their photosensitivity and horrible vision and not just some cool kid act. 

"John, dude, really you can stop eyeing me like I'm a piece of meat on a stick," they grumbled, "like seriously it's ridiculous, you look at me like your seeing some sort of headless prince or something of that brand of poppycock." Over the 4 years you knew them by this point you know what they're trying to say, even if it's with some extremely old and odd slang terms. 

"S-sorry, (Y/N)..." You cast your gaze else were towards the posters on your wall, they were mostly of movies you enjoyed seeing and listening to. 

"... What did they do this time." They sat on the bed next to me, running their fingers through my hair. It was almost a learned behaviour by this point, they essentially stroke your hair, and you vent. This process was reversed, with you preening their wings while they rant about their adventures and about some pretty horrific things. 

"They, they locked me in the bathroom stall and started throwing textbooks at me, and they yelled at me..." you rolled over and felt yourself becoming more relaxed, as they continued just to be there and listen, by the time you were done you were on the verge of tears. 

"It's ok, John, I'm here for you chap, don't forget that." You knew it was their turn to rant, but you're just so tired, you couldn't exactly keep your eyes open. "You can sleep if the sandman's dusting your eyes, I don't really mind." They rubbed the tears from your cheeks, their wings were lax on her back, the ebony and ivory coloured feathers formed into a checkerboard-like pattern, though the out place ones threw it off. You weakly reach up and brush a few back into place, they spread them out a bit more to give you easier access to the rebellious plumes. 

sleep slowly took over, you couldn't exactly hear them saying goodbye clearly and the feeling of them kissing your forehead or the blanket being pulled over you, though you did hear the distorted sound of a music box and a record scratch. your eyes shut and you slipped into the inky blackness.


	3. Prince: Return to home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sighing as your friend fell asleep on you, you realized you had to return home.

He's getting weaker by the day, you never really noticed it until a few months ago, when he hugged you, you realized how thin he was. You remember feeling his bones, you remember asking him if he was eating, he nodded and joked about it. 

You always liked it when he smiled, you haven't seen him do that in a very long time, he's usually just exhausted now, in a constant battle of sleeplessness and wanting to be awake. 

You sighed as you tucked John in you made a promise to him, when he enters the medium, you'll take him somewhere that he would be safer. You never told him about your silent promise to yourself to keep him safe, or about how you technically took his first kiss, that was before your Uncle told you about consent. You still feel guilty about it. 

you slipped the broken timetable out form your inventory, alongside the music box, they don't sound right together, or sound right at all. You knew the timetable once belonged to your uncle Dave, you never knew what happened to him, though you think he might not be around anymore. 

turning the table and music box a horrid tune clashed in the air, and you began to fall. red obscured your vision for several moments before you began to see LOWAS's sky, spreading your wings you gave a couple of flaps to keep yourself airborne, once your vision cleared, flying back home was one of the only things one your mind.

As you flew through the windswept land that your uncle chose to call home, it gets pretty lonely but you have your uncle and pop to keep you company when you're not out doing something stupid in a different timeline. You descend and land on the platform of land that held your house this high in the air, well technically it's not your house it's John's form this timeline, not John your best friend's one. 

You knocked on the door since you left the key in your bedroom, you heard grumbling as your uncle opened the door, he gave you the look of someone who just dropped their drink. 

"You're late." He spoke his voice was deep, he still had that southern twang to it. 

"Something came up." General excuse, you know. though a lot of the time if you don't come home bleeding or covered in something that smells or is unidentifiable it's normally fine. 

"(Y/N), you know how worried I get." His tone was stern, his washed-out amber eyes settled on you, you knew he died once though he never completely explained the circumstances, only about a 'Justice seeking friend' helping to bring him back. 

"Sorry uncle Derek..." you cast your gaze on the floor, trying to appear guilty. Hoping that he would just shrug it off and not give you the usual "You need to spend more time with me and your Pop" shpiel. "I'll try to get home earlier tomorrow" You were going to keep your word to him, he is your uncle after all.

He drew in a sigh, "Alright, Nightingale, I'll take your word." You must've made him sad, he only calls you nightingale when he's feeling down. You know you shouldn't ask him about your pop, but the words tumbled out from habit.

"Did he wake up yet?" You knew it was stupid to ask, though you didn't want to give up hope on him reawakening from his 12-year coma. 

Your Uncle shook his head, "I don't think English is going to today... maybe tomorrow..." He spoke his voice bearly above a whisper, you knew he only kept your pop on his heavy medication that he needs to live because he likes that you have something to come home to, and hope for. 

You were tempted to ask about news for your father, who wasn't even around when you were born, but you think you pestered your uncle too much, today.


	4. Derek: Be Pestered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will she ever stop asking questions about things she shouldn't know the answers to?

"Uncle Derek, when do you think Pop will wake up?" She asked innocently. you withheld a sigh as you answered.

"Not today... Maybe tomorrow" You already knew that he's never going to wake up, the darn guy's a vegetable and is probably has been long brain dead. 

"Ok..." She looked down at her feet, gripping her jacket, you knew that was a silent signal for 'Did you hear anything from my father?'. You didn't answer that question, the guy bailed on her before she was even born, hell he wasn't even there for when Jake went into labour, nor did he have to deliver her, by himself, Nope.

You were the one who had to deal with it, you had to deal with Jake's mood swings, you had to singlehandedly bring a child into the world, and had to raise her the best you can in the middle of god knows where with absolutely no help, because literally a week after she was born Jake just had to slip into a coma, leaving you with only the knowledge you had form raising Dave till he was four. 

"Come on you, it's time for dinner." You spoke in the gentlest tone you could manage, you are a pretty intimating person to look at. 

She nodded and followed you in, rubbing the sleeves of the before mentioned jacket. Now you know who the jacket was from, it was the only thing her father left her. It was a gradient with the top of her shoulders being a dark purplish-pink transitioning to a pastel yellow, the colours of Hope and Heart if your old friend told you the correct things.

You knew you weren't the best cook, though at least you can make something edible. Taking the chicken out of the oven was simple, the kid knows what she likes for seasoning she can do that her own. You however just prefer it plain, chicken is supposed to taste like chicken, not some fancy spice. You cut off a leg and a wing, and hand it to her on a plate. 

You set out three other plates. out of habit, one for yourself, one for Jake, and one for the love you lost. You knew that the other two plates will only sit there and they won't show up, but... you couldn't help yourself. (Y/N) gave you a small sympathetic glance, before returning to devour the chicken that she was given. 

sighing you sank into the dining chair and was about to go at your meal, that was until your niece spoke up.

"... Uncle Derek, would you be mad at me if I brought someone else home?" If you had food in your mouth you would've choaked.

"(Y/N), you know the rule." There was only one main rule that she had, 'UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES NO INTERACTING WITH ANYONE OUTSIDE OF HER OWN TIMELINE'

She looked down at her lap and muttered something under her breath.

"Nightingale, tell me, did you break the rule." You glared, she's normally a good kid, so something must be going on here. 

"..." She didn't respond, she didn't look up at you either. 

"(y/n)-" she cut me off.

"I made a friend, and he's getting hurt more and more every day, I just want to get him out of his situation." She blurted, sounding on the verge of tears. 

"slow down there, partner. You what?" 

she took a deep breath and explained "I made a friend, he's very kind and really funny. The thing is he needs help, his dad doesn't feed him that much and when he does it's something that he's allergic to or something that makes his head go fuzzy." She pulled herself a little more into her jacket as if trying to be consumed by it so she didn't have to talk anymore. "He's also been getting hurt at school, and his friends make fun of him and pick on him. then there's..." She trailed off, getting lost in her own thoughts.

"Then there's what?" you lead her on, if she's going to bring someone here, she's going to have to give me a better reason than that. 

"... He's getting transmogrified in two weeks on his birthday..." she mustered out the words.

"Transmog- what." 

"Transmogrified... " She repeated, a few tears slipped out for underneath her googles. 

"(Y/N), can you tell me what exactly does this... Transmogrification do to him?" you asked not sure what exactly she meant.

"They're... They're going to kill him!" She wailed, slamming her arms down on the table. You stood up, and proceed to walk over to her. 

"Nightingale..."You wrapped your arms around her gently. It hurt to see her like this, but you have to keep asking. "Why exactly is it going to kill him?"

"They'll take away who he is. they'll change almost everything about him... his appearance, personality... his memories... they're going to tear him apart and put him back together completely wrong." She clung to you as if you became her lifeline, her tears wetting your shoulder.

"... Can you tell me his name?" This was one of the last questions you had in order to make a decision, of course, she's going to be grounded even if you allow her to bring the boy here, but if he's some sort of child predator or something best to shoot it down ahead of time. 

"His name is John... John Egbert." Your eyes widen at the familiar name, your old friend told you about a boy with that very name that could control and become one with the breeze, you think she called him the Heir of Breath.

"... how old is he." Now, this was the last question.

"He's twelve, the same age as me, but he's a day older." she began to try and regain her composer. 

You wanted to say no, oh boy did you want to say no, but the statements she said about tearing the poor boy apart and losing memories and personality kinda hit a little too close for comfort to you. 

"Nnnnfhh, fine..." you exhaled, and you could feel her tense.

"R-really?" she pulled away and looked you in the eye. 

"I guess, but he's going to have to behave, or I'm going to kick em out." You spoke sternly, as her face lit up. 

"Thank you, uncle Derek! I'll pay you back somehow!" She squealed out, squeezing my neck.

Something tells me I'm going to regret letting her get him.


	5. John: Catch the Bus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children can be so cruel, in a lie blackened world.

Groaning you opened your eyes, coming face to face with one of your posters. 

sitting up you looked around, there were a few black and white feathers strung amongst the floor. those must've been (Y/N)'s unless Dave somehow got form Texas to your house and into your room without notice. 

glancing at the clock you see the time, 7:35 AM you needed to get ready for school. You know that this is the second to last week you have to survive through the hell your forced into by the government but the 13 of April is drawing near. That's when you'll get the game, that's when (Y/N) will be able to take you out of this hellish timeline. 

you get up and begin to change for the day you have ahead of you, and repeated a few rules mentally,  
' Don't take any food that's given to you, it's poisoned.  
Don't stay in the house for too long, he'll beat you for it.  
Don't linger in the halls at school, they'll make you bleed.  
Stay within the line of a teacher's sight, they might be unreliable but at least it's a line of safety.  
Run, they might yell at you for it, but it's better than getting hurt by your classmates.'

There were many more unspoken rules you followed, but there was the biggest one  
'In case someone goes for the kill or early transmogrification. Open the music box that (Y/N) gave you, she can hear it and come to rescue you, but it's only for emergencies since it can only be used once.' 

You carefully opened the door, peeking back and forth your father hopefully isn't home. Seeing and hearing nothing, you carefully exit your room. you need to be quiet if you want to make it out scott free. gently creeping down the steps you made sure to avoid the third step near the bottom which was made of nightingale floorboards, which make a chirping sound if stepped on in the slightest. 

Glancing around the living room, no one was there. Well, no one but your dead Nana but she's not telling your dad a thing. Originally back when you were eight you pondered on what the hell they based your nana off of, lucky (Y/N) knew and told you what the hell it was, apparently, she was based on someone named Feferi who was the descendant of an alien queen named Meenha, or as her title is Her Imperial Condescension, or )-(IC, for short. You would elaborate but your time's kinda running out to get breakfast without incident. 

avoiding the troublesome floorboards giving you away for a strife. you continued onwards quickly grabbing a few pieces of fruit from the kitchen, praying they aren't poisoned by anything. You walked out the door into the freezing grey world surrounds your house. Colour was nowhere to be seen. you can sometimes see colour in people's eyes but most people have the colour removed post-transmogrification, you remember Dave sending you a single photo of him without his shades on before his inevitable demise 

December 3rd, 3:14 in the morning the message was sent,

~Flash Back brought to you by Bro in a dishwasher, party hard kids.~ 

TG: Dude, this is probably going to be the last "Normal" Message I send in a while, and this is going to kinda shock you but, I'm scared terrified even. Dude please pick up the chatlogue

EB: Dave are you still there? oh... happy birthday. 

TG: Dude don't remind me of the damn day I know what day it is! 

EB: I know but didn't you say that "Cool kids aren't scared of those kinds of things"?

TG: Well I lied alright! I'm sitting here trying not to wet myself like a fucking third-grader who went to see a pg-13 horror movie! You really thought that I wasn't scared? Like shit man seriously I don't know what shitty thing my Bro has planed for what's going to be my new fucked up form. 

EB: Dave, can't you just. Run? I mean you're pretty fast. 

TG: But Bro's faster and stronger than me. He's going to catch me even if I start running now. 

TG: so that's it. Call this my final fucking act of rebellion. *Image Sent* 

EB: Dave is that? holy shit your eyes! 

TG: Yep I 'ma freak I got to go to my execution now seeya bro. 

EB: Wait, Dave your not a freak!

~Flashback end~

You're not even sure if the real him got to see that message in time. The small hopeful part of you says he did and he died knowing at least someone knew his secret other than his bro, and that they didn't think of him as a freak because of it. The rest of you thinks that he died thinking no one cared for him and that his best friend thought of him as a freak. 

Walking along the sidewalk you adverted your eyes form the horrid beings that once were children that surrounded you, their distorted giggles and laughter haunt your dreams, the bus roared as it approached, you felt someone try to shove you forward into its path, but your feet stayed where they were. (Y/N) helped train you to not be pushed so easily after quite a close call. Luckily that day you were small enough to fit in between the pavement and the bus. 

The machine stopped in front of you and you began to feel your legs move, though they felt like lead weights had been tied onto them, as you went to go for another day to a place were only torment reined.


End file.
